I was delighted to read that John Hurst and the Committee have signed a new Leisure Facilities contract with the Hotel. I have been advocating for some time the importance of access to such Facilities in 2024/onwards as we try to attract a new generation to buy into the Club, particularly a generation where the Gym etc is a vital part of their daily routine, and Spa facilities the icing on their cake, particularly for families, as the voting reflects. The good news for those members who are disappointed the vote didn't go as they would wish, is that their 'Week' will continue to increase in value as the Club's Refurbishment Programme moves forward along with the Hotel's continued improvement/extension of the Leisure Facilities on offer.
The one Fly in the Ointment is the Apartment Block which will take a high percentage if not all of our Refurbishment Budget, as it obviously needs an external and internal Refurb.The most cost effective way forward was for the Committee to have had a Postal Vote for Owners to decide whether or not the Committee should negotiate the Sale of this Block on the basis of the initial enquiry re a possible Sale. The new owner would have demolished it and rebuilt with new Apts. LRHC's Refurbishment Budget may well have been richer by at least £750K if negotiations went well and of course all the Club owned weeks that presently hang like a lead weight around our neck, would have been immediately wiped off our Accounts!
I'm still at a loss to understand why any competent Accountant didn't advise the Committee to seriously consider such an obvious way forward or at least suggest to the Committee they arrange a Cost Study following a full Survey of this Apt Block.
Perhaps we need to review our Accountant to one that has a more robust Business Feasibility approach to Finance rather than one that is merely checking Ledgers.
Leisure Facilities Contract
Well there’s a growing concern amongst owners regarding their opinion re Leisure facility charges being disregarded and this will ultimately come back to haunt a future commitee in my opinion. Why should any owner who has no desire to use the LRE facilities for watever reason be expected to financially support those who do ?
Its not exactly encouraging for potential buyers of timeshare weeks either.
There is no reason why those who wish to use and pay for the facilities shouldn’t pay for it on an individual basis.
LRE have clearly stated that they won’t entertain an individual leisure facilities tariff and want a block payment on a leisure contract each year and so LRHC accept this and allow the club to be so dictated to.
The LRHC committee/ Directors have the authority to make these decisions and that is accepted but its also been noticed .
Its not exactly encouraging for potential buyers of timeshare weeks either.
There is no reason why those who wish to use and pay for the facilities shouldn’t pay for it on an individual basis.
LRE have clearly stated that they won’t entertain an individual leisure facilities tariff and want a block payment on a leisure contract each year and so LRHC accept this and allow the club to be so dictated to.
The LRHC committee/ Directors have the authority to make these decisions and that is accepted but its also been noticed .
It would seem then the Committee is in a Catch 22 situation. If they walked away from the Leisure Contract the MAJORITY who voted FOR the Leisure Contract would be complaining.
Being in advanced years myself, I certainly won't be making much use of the Leisure Facilities other than the occasional dip in the Pool, but I do gain pleasure watching the excitement of families heading to use the facilities, particularly when I recall the pleasure it brought our children back in the day. All things considered, it's a relatively small amount I'm being asked to pay which I feel is more than offset by the ambience the refurbished Hotel has brought to the Club and the convenience of being able to have a coffee; lunch or dinner without having to drive off site.
A Leisure pass would seem a possible alternative, but Nick Pattie who has managed/owned Hotels longer than I dare say even he would care to admit, has went over the financial calculations with his Accountant, and they have decided that resourcing a Weekly or Pay as You Go Leisure Pass does not make sound Business sense for him at this time.
Being in advanced years myself, I certainly won't be making much use of the Leisure Facilities other than the occasional dip in the Pool, but I do gain pleasure watching the excitement of families heading to use the facilities, particularly when I recall the pleasure it brought our children back in the day. All things considered, it's a relatively small amount I'm being asked to pay which I feel is more than offset by the ambience the refurbished Hotel has brought to the Club and the convenience of being able to have a coffee; lunch or dinner without having to drive off site.
A Leisure pass would seem a possible alternative, but Nick Pattie who has managed/owned Hotels longer than I dare say even he would care to admit, has went over the financial calculations with his Accountant, and they have decided that resourcing a Weekly or Pay as You Go Leisure Pass does not make sound Business sense for him at this time.
I agree it seems odd owners are being asked to go to the Dunalistair Hotel for the Owners Meeting each week when it was much more convenient for all owners to pop into the Meeting Room above the Water Sport Facility. Who came up with this 'Free Advert' for the Dunalistair Hotel I wonder, as it doesn't benefit owners.
I'd rather have the Owners' Meeting at Loch Rannoch Hotel than Dunalistair, given that Rannoch has been known to have the 'occasional' rain shower!
Why on earth would anyone think it more conducive to walk into the village in the pouring rain rather than to stay onsite? The other thing I can't for the life of me understand is the Whisky Tasting being held on a Sunday morning! Is there not one single person on the Committee that has any understanding of the Sabbath and that some owners attend the Kirk on the Sabbath?
Why not have it one mid week evening prior to Dinner?
It would make it more enjoyable for Owners and may encourage others to Book Dinner in the Hotel.
Why on earth would anyone think it more conducive to walk into the village in the pouring rain rather than to stay onsite? The other thing I can't for the life of me understand is the Whisky Tasting being held on a Sunday morning! Is there not one single person on the Committee that has any understanding of the Sabbath and that some owners attend the Kirk on the Sabbath?
Why not have it one mid week evening prior to Dinner?
It would make it more enjoyable for Owners and may encourage others to Book Dinner in the Hotel.
Hi Ronnie
There seems to be some confusion about the meeting on the Sabbath. It is not "Whisky Tasting" as we used to run during the week several years ago but a "cocktail party". Importantly it should be noted that LRE (the hotel Group) has organised and paid for this. Your Club was given 3 days notice about the event although it had obviously been conceived much earlier. If Mr Pattie wishes to invite our Members to drink a free glass of his Prosecco then he is absolutely entitled to do so. But it is not then reasonable to blame the Club for any shortcomings as there is nothing we can do about it.
Our Members' Welcome Meeting continues at the Dunalastair on Mondays because during some of the winter months Mr Pattie would not let us hold meetings, for which we paid a commercial rate, at a time and day to suit us. In addition, despite the fact that we were renting his facility he would not allow us to bring in external speakers. At the Dunalastair we invite management from LRE to advertise their facilities and the Dun has no wish to prevent that.
These Monday meetings are now being tweaked to give more information to our Members and other organisations are being encouraged to offer Club Members discounts at their businesses. When The HUb is completed we shall invite them to make presentations to our Members because we take the view that as one of (or perhaps the) major operator in the village that we should set an example to the others to encourage village activity. After all, we really don't want the village to slowly die.
Regards, John
There seems to be some confusion about the meeting on the Sabbath. It is not "Whisky Tasting" as we used to run during the week several years ago but a "cocktail party". Importantly it should be noted that LRE (the hotel Group) has organised and paid for this. Your Club was given 3 days notice about the event although it had obviously been conceived much earlier. If Mr Pattie wishes to invite our Members to drink a free glass of his Prosecco then he is absolutely entitled to do so. But it is not then reasonable to blame the Club for any shortcomings as there is nothing we can do about it.
Our Members' Welcome Meeting continues at the Dunalastair on Mondays because during some of the winter months Mr Pattie would not let us hold meetings, for which we paid a commercial rate, at a time and day to suit us. In addition, despite the fact that we were renting his facility he would not allow us to bring in external speakers. At the Dunalastair we invite management from LRE to advertise their facilities and the Dun has no wish to prevent that.
These Monday meetings are now being tweaked to give more information to our Members and other organisations are being encouraged to offer Club Members discounts at their businesses. When The HUb is completed we shall invite them to make presentations to our Members because we take the view that as one of (or perhaps the) major operator in the village that we should set an example to the others to encourage village activity. After all, we really don't want the village to slowly die.
Regards, John
Thanks for that clarification John. Strange but I was certain it was mentioned in the Newsletter as a Whisky Tasting Event, and being partial to a Glenfiddoch Whisky having it on the Sabbath did seem odd!
Why can't the Committee use the room at the Waterfront above the Water Sport Area for Owners Meetings as we did in the past? I also hate having the Owners Meeting eat into even one day of my Rannoch Holiday. A convivial Cheese & Wine evening combined with the Owners Welcome Meeting would be great! Even if Members were invited to make a small contribution towards the Cheese & Wine.
Ronnie
Why can't the Committee use the room at the Waterfront above the Water Sport Area for Owners Meetings as we did in the past? I also hate having the Owners Meeting eat into even one day of my Rannoch Holiday. A convivial Cheese & Wine evening combined with the Owners Welcome Meeting would be great! Even if Members were invited to make a small contribution towards the Cheese & Wine.
Ronnie